The debate goes on. I hate to be the one to break it to the LDS and the distributors. Fact is the manufacturers are helping some of the larger internet companies to buy up the new equitment from the failed LDS. It is a fact that johnson outdoors does it. If the thay do it I am sure the other companies do it as well. I am looking for articale about it and will gladly post it if deamed ok by #1. Economics as well as the way people shop has changed and it will never be the same, the small chains and the 1 store shops can not do bussiness the way it was done 50 years ago. Service is not king any longer. I had had several economics courses, ok, I admit it it was 25 years ago, and everything I learned had taught me one thing. That is, to through out the old books, what made sense years ago, no longer works. Those of you who wish to pay more then 10% to get instant gratification, I say do it, I will do it maybe even 15%, but more then that, you can join the ranks of people who bought 500,000 dollar homes that where worth 350,000, and now 200,000.00 and they owe 495,000.00. I know, I will do my best to help my local dive shop in my primary place of residence, but I would rather just right them a check or offer to help out around shop for no pay once in a while. Times are going to get far worse before things get better, so this debate is going to go on for many years. In the past 5 years I have bought 4 BCD’s on line 3 from LP, 1 from DS, and 3 used from personal buddies. I do plan to buy within the next few months a nighthawk bcd and will buy unit from my LDS but the air link from LP to save 50 dollars. As far as regs go I am set for years to come, Tanks I have 12, 8 from a LDS, not my current one but they cheated on vip’s buy swaping stickers instead really doing vips, the rest from walk in purchases at other shops at another location in Key Largo, Computers are aries or oceanic, maybe cressi and they will only be from who ever is offering best price. I can sum this up, with get with the times or get out, target and walmart are hiring.